Azuka Ogujiuba alleges three-day detention without warrant after publishing court injunction in land dispute case
Lagos, Nigeria – A Lagos-based journalist has accused the Nigeria Police Force of unlawful detention, harassment and human rights violations after she was held for three days in an Abuja police cell following her publication of a court injunction in a commercial land dispute.
Azuka Ogujiuba, publisher of Media Room Hub and former ThisDay reporter, told a press conference in Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday that police officers detained her without a warrant and coerced her into signing an apology letter under duress.
“They targeted my phone, pounced on me, and manhandled me. If you saw the way I was being followed around the office with a gun, you would think I was a terrorist,” Ogujiuba said, describing her arrest.
The Disputed Publication
Ogujiuba’s ordeal began after she published a court injunction related to a land dispute involving real estate developer Kennedy Okonkwo, through his company Capital Gardens Limited, and Adewale “Biggie” Oladapo’s Oretol Nigeria Limited.
“Mr Okonkwo filed a suit against Adewale ‘Biggie’ Oladapo’s Oretol Nigeria Limited at a Lagos High Court, alleging breach of contract on land at Hampton Island, Osapa, Lekki,” Ogujiuba explained.
“All I did was publish the injunction stopping Mr Oladapo and his company from interfering with roughly four hectares of the disputed land, pending the substantive case, just like other media outlets did.”
However, Ogujiuba maintains her publication was deliberately targeted for reprisals despite similar coverage by other news organizations.
Pattern of Harassment
According to Ogujiuba, officers from the Nigerian Police Force’s Asokoro Division in Abuja first invited her on August 6. She attended with her lawyer but was “whisked away without a warrant, like a criminal,” after being tracked for days.
Though initially granted bail and instructed to return two weeks later, Ogujiuba says she was subsequently ambushed by plainclothes officers while attending a work event in Abuja.
“I was at a scheduled interview when I started receiving calls from the officer, insisting that the petitioner wanted to see me. I reminded him that I had bail and promised to come after work,” she said.
“But while leaving the office, we suddenly heard commotion outside, and since they were not in uniform, we thought they were kidnappers.”
Alleged Coercion Under Duress
During her three-day detention, Ogujiuba alleges she was denied adequate food and subjected to intimidation tactics. She claims officers forced her to sign an apology letter, which was later circulated online to discredit her original reporting.
“They were telling me what to write. One of the officers made me undertake that the letter was not done under duress. I had no options when I saw a gun facing me while under their custody,” she said.
Ogujiuba also alleges that police released her personal address to the petitioner and his lawyer, raising additional security concerns.
Police Authority Questions
The journalist emphasized that Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has repeatedly instructed officers not to interfere in commercial disputes and civil matters, suggesting the officers acted beyond their authority.
“The IGP had reminded officers that the police have no jurisdiction over purely civil matters unless there is an underlying criminal element, and even in such cases, investigations must be overseen by the State Commissioners of Police,” Ogujiuba noted.
International Concern
The International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria has condemned the incident, expressing concern over Ogujiuba’s treatment and warning that such harassment threatens press freedom and weakens public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
Official Response
Attempts to reach the involved parties yielded mixed results. Adewale Oladapo could not be contacted, as calls to his mobile phone did not connect and he has not responded to messages.
Nigeria Police Force spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin neither answered calls nor responded to messages regarding the allegations.
However, Federal Capital Territory Police Command spokesperson Josephine Adeh answered calls and promised to investigate the matter after contacting the Asokoro Division.
“I’ll call the DPO of Asokoro Division Headquarters now to find out, and I’ll get back to you,” Adeh said, though she has yet to provide follow-up information.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about police overreach in civil matters and the use of law enforcement resources in commercial disputes, issues that have drawn repeated warnings from Nigeria’s police leadership.
Attempts to reach Kennedy Okonkwo and his legal representatives for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
